1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to knee pads and, more particularly, to knee pads especially provided for use by infants.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Infants, before they are able to walk, do a lot of crawling on floors within dwellings. Often, because of their low profile near the floor, infants who are crawling are difficult for adults to see. As a result, there is an increased risks of accidental collisions between the adults and the infants to occur. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided which signaled an adult the presence of a crawling infant.
When an infant crawls, the infant places one's body weight primarily on one's hands and knees. Since the hands are used for much more than bearing weight, it would be desirable if a device were provided that signals an adult the presence of a crawling infant which depends upon movement of the infant's knees as the infant crawls.
When an infant crawls along a floor, often times the infant is wearing some kind of garment that covers the legs and knees. In this respect, it would be desirable if a garment were provided which enables movement of an infant's knees across a floor to signal an adult the presence of the infant. At other times when an infant crawls along a floor, the infant does not wear a garment that covers the knees. In such a case, it would be desirable if a device were provided which enables movement of an infant's knees along a floor to alert the adult to the presence of the infant even when the infant is not wearing a garment that covers the knees.
It is a well known phenomenon that some foot wear causes a squeaking sound to emanate when the foot wear rubs up against a floor. In this respect, it would be desirable to provide devices to be worn on an infant's knees that cause a squeaking sound to emanate when the knee-worn device rubs up against a floor.
There are floors, such as carpeted floors, that preclude the occurrence of a squeaking sound to be caused when a knee-worn device rubs up against a floor. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided which permits a knee-worn device to cause a sound to be emanated when the knee moves across a carpeted floor.
As a matter of interest, throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to knee pads, and the following U.S. Pat. Nos. are representative of some of those innovations: 4,490,855; 4,879,765; 5,031,240; and Des. 338,281. It is noted that none of these patents disclose a means for generating a squeaking sound when the knee pads move along a floor.
Also as a matter of interest, the following U.S. Pat. Nos. are cited for their disclosure of squeeze toys: 4,040,619 and 4,380,134. It is noted that U.S. Pat. No. 4,380,134 discloses a squeeze toy which provides a whistling sound when the toy is squeezed. It is noted that neither patent discloses the use of the respective patented devices on an infant's knee. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided which causes a whistling sound to emanate when the device is worn on a crawling infant's knee.
Still other features would be desirable in a sound-emitting knee pad apparatus. For example, it would be desirable for a sound-emitting knee pad device to be easily selectively attached to or removed from a garment.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use knee pads for infants, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a knee pad apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) provides an audio signal to an adult indicating the presence of a crawling infant; (2) provides an audio signal for a crawling infant which depends upon movement of the infant's knees as the infant crawls; (3) provides a garment which enables movement of an infant's knees across a floor to signal an adult the presence of the infant; (4) enables movement of an infant's knees along a floor to alert the adult to the presence of the infant even when the infant is not wearing a garment that covers the knees; (5) provide devices to be worn on an infant's knees that cause a squeaking sound to emanate when the knee-worn device rubs up against a floor; (6) permits a knee-worn device to cause a sound to be emanated when the knee moves across a carpeted floor; (7) causes a whistling sound to emanate when the device is worn on a crawling infant's knee; and (8) easily selectively is attached to or removed from a garment. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique sound-emitting knee pad apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.